Do you prefer active or passive basses?

[kcole4001]

All of my basses have been passive, though not from any specific prejudice, I just happen to like basses that happen to be passive.
I would like to try a Bongo, Rob Allen, etc..., but I am perfectly happy with what I've got.

 

[Aspidites]

Do you prefer active or passive basses?

Yes

 

[Aspidites]

what passive basses are aggressive?

Anything with an MFD in it.

 

[Tajue17]

I have both but nothing beats a Vintage Passive bass...

 

[Andy_D]

I have both 3 passives and 2 actives and like both, however I find myself playing my actives more frequently. I guess that makes me an active guy.

Food for thought... I believe that decent active electronics can make a mediocre bass sound pretty good because of all the EQ options I don't know if the same can be said of a mediocre passive bass. Of course bad electronics can make a good bass sound like crap as well,

 

[bubinga5]

do you prefer red or green... well i like green.... well i like red....???????????

 

[Xavier Zed]

Like most I started on a passive but over the years a couple actives sneaked in (Ray34/RH sig) and they are both keepers. And my passives are not looking to leave either. So, I guess I could go both ways but except for MM type basses all by actives would have to be a 18volt (two 9v batteries) system. Because once you hear the difference in headroom you can never totally go passive again.

 

[darkstorm]

Active eq, they sound better to me.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

Any bass either sounds good or it doesn't. Active or passive is not that much of a factor for me.

 

[spade2you]

sorry, epic fail

For a small fee, I'd be willing to take that failure of a bass off your hands. You should have gotten a passive bass since nothing active sounds as deep or organic.

 

[blmeier7]

After owning many active and passive basses I keep gravitating back to passive basses. Passive gets my vote.

 

[nostatic]

For a small fee, I'd be willing to take that failure of a bass off your hands. You should have gotten a passive bass since nothing active sounds as deep or organic.

Maybe. I'm so upset with having a battery in that bass. It just makes it sound so...electricalistic!

 

[ggunn]

Passive is more organic, natural, warm, smooth, tender...

OK, but what does that mean? Is the difference something you can quantify, or is it another discussion like tone woods where it's all subjective and there's no real data?

 

[Classickbass]

Passive.

 

[MikK SavAge]

passive if in a band
active if going solo

 

[LDonnie]

Active all the way

 

[R. Laevinus]

I've personally never been able to coax a sound I like out of an active, so I go passive.

To be fair, I've heard lots of other guys get great tones effortlessly out of actives, so there it is.

Same thing goes for me and Jazzes. I can't make one sound good - but I've heard lots of guys who do.

 

[Bongolation]

Do you prefer active or passive basses?

Why do you care?

 

[Reaper Man]

I prefer passive, though 2/3 I own are active (or at least active capable. Though the G&L stays in passive mode. I do like the shaping available with the active stuff though

 

[reno88]

passive only. there's something inherently wrong with having to put a battery in a bass.